Five individuals suspected of serious fraud in Sauvo real estate case

The police have completed an investigation into a serious fraud case related to a real estate transaction in Sauvo. A couple learned that their summer property lacked the legally required inspections after they attempted to sell it in 2022, two years after purchasing it in 2020. Furthermore, the property’s construction permit expired in the 1980s. This case was highlighted in a January 2023 broadcast of MOT’s program “Selling an Illegal House.”

Five individuals are suspected of serious fraud, including the seller, the real estate agent, the manager of the real estate agency, and two appointed inspectors, according to lead investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Tommi Kosunen. The accused have denied any wrongdoing.

The police stated that, according to law and good brokerage practices, the real estate agency has an obligation to obtain and provide information. The affected couple filed a police report due to the incomplete information provided during the sale. The couple argued that they were not informed about these shortcomings and later discovered additional issues with the details in the sales brochure.

The police indicated that they had thoroughly investigated the matter, digging into records from decades past. “We have examined deficiencies in information that date back to the 1980s, and some individuals responsible for the matter at that time have since passed away,” Kosunen noted. The investigation has involved obtaining information from various sources, including the original developer, Sauvo municipality, the current building inspector, real estate agencies, and the regional administrative agency.

The case will now proceed to prosecution assessment.